On January 16, French President Nicolas Sarkozy surprised the whole world by going public with the proposed French military base in Abu Dhabi due to be operational in 2009. The news which was instantly wired around the globe generated a lot of media interest and raised some political curiosity.
The last thing this region needs is another permanent foreign presence. The place already looks like the most militarised region on earth with some 200,000 American soldiers roaming all over the Gulf. It was also uncharacteristic of the UAE, which has in principle stayed clear of military bases. Even more significantly, no one expected such a sudden French strategic intrusion in a region that has been long proclaimed as an exclusive and vital American interest.
The Gulf with its immense oil reserves and incredible wealth has been off limits to any foreign power including close political allies of Washington such as Sarkozy. It remains a puzzle as to whether this surprise French move has Washington's blessing or was it done without the prior knowledge or political approval of the generals at the Pentagon.
UAE officials are yet to comment on the scope and nature of their new military agreement with France. But knowledgeable sources tend to play down the significance of the bilateral military understanding reached between Abu Dhabi and Paris.
They confirm that the agreement with France is a limited one and does not entail a full- fledged military garrison. The UAE is not in the mood for permanent military bases. What it will provide are two small berths as maintenance facilities that will eventually accommodate 400 to 500 soldiers as part of the French naval forces already present in the Gulf since 1990.
In no way will this naval base encroach on UAE's sovereignty. It will not have any impact on UAE's adherence to political neutrality nor will it ever be allowed to be used against its neighbours. The agreement is purely defensive and will hopefully enhance security for shipping in the Gulf.
Bolstering profile
The UAE government assumes that both local and Arab public opinion understand that this military cooperation with France is done to bolster its security profile as a state living is a turbulent neighbourhood and next to politically ambitious neighbours. It is not easy to be a small state and survive in the vicinity of the most militarised zone in the world without superpower guarantees.
The latest military memorandum with France is meant as a message to the status quo regional and global players with vested interests in Gulf security. The UAE is nervous about Washington's unilateral approach to Gulf security. The generals responsible for Gulf security in Washington have made a mess of this place. They can't be trusted for too long.
Abu Dhabi is also not in the mood to bet on Washington's wise handling of the escalating confrontation with Tehran. The more it distances itself from any foolish American act the better off it feels. Being too close to Washington is not the best policy option at this extremely fuzzy moment in time.
In addition the UAE and the rest of the GCC states are naturally worried about the change of guard in Washington in light of the coming presidential election. The possibilities are not necessarily to their liking. Washington is confused and the future is very unsettling for friends of America.
America always looms large in the strategic thinking of GCC capitals and so does next-door Iran. Any strategic decision taken by these capitals, such as the current military cooperation agreement with Paris has as much to do with Washington as with Tehran. The GCC states keep close watch over Iran's discourse, behaviour and intentions. Most of it is not to their liking.
Despite the recent high profile visit to Tehran by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE's Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Iran can't be trusted to deliver on its promises. This is especially true with regard to their ongoing occupation of the three islands belonging to the UAE. News about Iran setting up a new military base on Abu Mousa Island is most unsettling. It exposes the UAE and makes it undesirably vulnerable. The naval base is about 60km away from giant oil fields and the major UAE cities. Iran is becoming too close and too threatening.
This necessitates swift UAE actions. The agreement with France is just one option among many to deal with this unfriendly Iranian posture. Needlessly no foreign protection is good enough. But having a good and reliable friend like France on your side is certainly reassuring. Of course Paris has its own regional and global agenda. But who doesn't, considering the growing future significance of the Gulf.
The UAE, the second largest economy in the Gulf, and France, the second biggest economy in Europe, are a perfect match for a new security era in the region. The coming together of Abu Dhabi and Paris can easily be dismissed as insignificant. But on closer inspection it has the right ingredients for being a major strategic breakthrough of historic proportion. They are for the time being the new kids in town.
Dr Abdul Khaleq Abdullah is a professor of political science at Emirates University.
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